From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri, has received accolades from stakeholders following the graduation of 15 Bayelsa youths he sponsored for training at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), as part of his administration’s drive for human capital development.
The state Commissioner for Youth Development, Alfred Kemepado, explained that the programme of training youths at NIPSS was in line with the governor’s belief that the dream of a great nation could not be realised without deliberate attention to the dreams of its young people.
“Governor Diri is taking the lead in empowering the youths. At the heart of Bayelsa’s development strategy is an unwavering commitment to building human capacity among its youths at home and abroad,” Kemepado said.
He added that in line with the Bayelsa State Youth Policy Draft under the leadership of Governor Diri, the state took the bold steps to equip young leaders with the knowledge, tools, and exposure required to compete globally and to thrive in today’s dynamic world.
He said the beneficiaries were drawn from the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Nigerian Youth Parliament (NYP), Student Union Governments (SUG), Centre for Youth Development (CY), Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Federated/Community Youth Presidents, and Youth Development Officers from the Ministry of Youth Development. Kemepado explained that the beneficiaries went through youth leadership development training at the prestigious NIPSS in Kuru, Jos, describing it as just one of the many youth and leadership development programmes approved by the governor to run at home and abroad within the year.
“Bayelsa is not just training leaders, we are raising a generation equipped to lead with purpose, wisdom, and vision. We commend Governor Diri’s foresight,” Kemepado said.